


The Violet Gate

by silverr



Category: Fall of Ile-Rien - Martha Wells
Genre: Background Poly, Fix-It, Post-Canon, Trick or Treat: Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:49:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26598607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silverr/pseuds/silverr
Summary: Afterwards, in one way or another, they all move on.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12
Collections: Trick or Treat Exchange 2020





	The Violet Gate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Serenade](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serenade/gifts).



Tremaine woke suddenly in the middle of the night.

It was one of the rare still hours when everyone in the household was still asleep. A bit fearful, but mostly reluctant to leave the warm space next to Ilias, she rolled onto her side and stared out into the darkness, wondering what had roused her.

At the far side of the courtyard, a small blue-violet _something_ sparkled in the eaves. A reflection of something in the sky? No, because it was _moving._

Her heart began to pound.

From the other side of Ilias, Giliead asked softly, "What is it?" 

"I don't know." She kept her eyes on the spark and groped on the floor for her robe. "But I'm going to go find out."

As she tiptoed to the arch she gasped, because there were dozens of the lights, most fairly dim, sliding along the eaves like slow raindrops. When they reached an intersection they traced the edges of each wall and arch and window as if memorizing them. They looked, for all the world, like god-lights, but that was absurd. Cineth already had a god. 

As she heard Giliead coming to stand next to her she said, "Whatever they are, they don't seem dangerous." 

"No," Giliead said slowly. "I don't think they are."

He didn't sound sure, and so she glanced over at him. There was just enough light to see his profile, tipped up to look at the roof.

She stepped forward to follow his gaze. There was a blue glow behind the ridge line, too localized to be the beginning of dawn, and so, even without Giliead's rapt attention, she knew that that was Cineth's god. But why? What was it doing?

The violet lights, having finished whatever they were doing with the house, were now lazily converging in the garden, spiraling up every tree, brushing the stem of every flower, garlanding the edges of every planter and table and bench. A few started to float toward Tremaine.

"Don't be afraid," Giliead said as the sparks swirled around her and then settled into her cupped palms. "He's just... exploring. Learning."

Warmth, a familiar, delicate warmth. An inaudible tone of voice, patient, weary, childlike, wry. The faint tang of brass; the vibration of ozone sparks. 

There was a shuffle behind them: Ilias, rubbing his eyes and blinking at the lights. "Who?" he asked, poking his head between Tremaine's and Giliead's shoulders. "Is this a new god?"

Giliead shook his head. "Not yet."

And then Tremaine lifted her hands, and a violet spiral rose up toward unseen stars.

.

.


End file.
